PATRICIA O'NEILL

VEGAS SECOND TIME ROUND…

It was my second trip to Vegas and I know now I’m addicted! I have come to the conclusion that Vegas is for people with addictive personalities (What? never would have guessed lol). My addiction is FUN, and the more you play in Vegas, the more fun you have! It is one big merry-go-round. It really is a Disneyland for grown ups!

Vegas, for me, ticks all the holiday boxes:

• people watching
• comfort
• happy environment
• nice weather
• fashion in abundance
• shows

Second time round, we made some decisions, as one could lose the seats of their pants in Vegas. Oh yes, money could burn a hole in them — for sure! Instead of spending a lot of money eating out, we opted to stay in a luxury self-catering suite at Donald Trump’s Golden Palace. Best decision! Money saved on eating out all the time went on shows instead. Trump doesn’t own the hotel any more; many of the suites are privately owned.

The Trump Hotel was terrific value. It is the first 5-star hotel we have stayed at, and I’m sold! Having a comfortable base, air conditioning, a clean, cool marble bathroom, luxurious environment, and friendly attentive staff becomes more important as you get older. In addition, it had a kitchen. It is one of the few hotels in Vegas that does NOT have a casino and is smoke-free! That’s a bonus too. Some of the hotels are mighty smelly, as you will see when you come here.

TIP 1: BE FISCALLY SMART

On day 1, we got a taxi to a Trader Joe’s supermarket and stocked up on nice healthy food for our vacation: cheese, salads, cereal, fruit, etc. Just to think, our whole food bill for the week, including full fry ups for Kevin in the morning, would have only bought us 5 small poolside salads at Trump’s Hotel! Insane, I know. Eating out is expensive in Vegas. In addition, it is difficult to get good wholesome food.

As a Canadian visiting Vegas, our dollar pales in comparison to the US dollar, so it behoves us to be fiscally smart!

TIP 2: DRESS FOR THE WEATHER

Late May onwards, it gets hot here in the desert. Vegas is after all, set right in the heart of a desert!! Just like Dubai, it gets HOT!! Wear cool 100% cottons, or linen clothing, great for the heat. I brought the perfect clothing second time round. Also, three biggies: hat, fanny pack water bottle, and comfortable walking shoes. I met a lovely girl who told me she burnt her head!! If you colour your hair, another good reason to wear a hat!! I could not believe the amount of women who did not wear a hat in the heat — insane!! The wider the brim, the better! I brought 4 pairs of shoes, and wore the same pair every day!! Comfort is key. I should have known better!!

TIP 3: SHOP AROUND

I’m not into golfing, or more expensive pursuits…ok, I’m not a saint though! I like to shop!! Yes, Vegas is a shopper’s paradise. You can shop ’til your jaw drops from the cost of things! Remember…be fiscally prudent!! I didn’t do a lot of shopping in Vegas, as I find the selection in Canada is just as good — if not better — and a lot cheaper. The best shopping mall for regular Joes like me is the Fashion Show Mall, which is just across the street from Trump’s hotel. They have fabulous fashion shows on the hour each day. Each of the different stores puts on their own show. One day, they had a live band playing music from the Beach Boys. They were brilliant!

If you want the ultra-fashion-shops experience, wander into the high end stores you will find at Caesar’s Palace and the Venetian Hotel. Check out the Wynn and Bellagio as well! I enjoy wandering around the high end stores, especially Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Prada, Dior, etc. and getting great ideas on how to put outfits together. I get ‘the look’ without the price tag.

Colourful tassels are all the rage currently. They are on hats, bags, necklaces, etc. Chanel was selling a fabric necklace with a tassel for US $250 — that was the sale price! I found an equally nice one for less than $40 in a different shop. So, you can get ‘the look’ without the price tag. Just shop around. Vegas is great for this.

TIP 4: PICK YOUR SPOT

If you like to people-watch, there are several good vantage points. Remember though, just like in all top tourist zones, you pay double for your Starbucks if it is located in a popular people-watching spot. The Starbucks at Caesar’s Palace cost twice as much as the Starbucks at the Fashion Show Mall! If you want good entertainment for free, the seats around the entrance doors to the Venetian Hotel is a fabulous spot. Other great gazing spots are Caesar’s Palace, Belaggio, Cosmopolitan, and Wynn’s Hotel, which is one of the prettiest of the hotels.

You’ll see expensively clad business people from all around the world heading into conferences, leather briefcases in hand; wedding parties; tourists with cameras; hen parties with crowns and feathers; stag parties… the list is endless. My neck was sore from turning in every direction! One wedding party I saw had all the fellows wearing swish navy blazers with gold buttons on top, and bermuda shorts and hairy legs below! Fashion is fabulous to observe…

If you want to converse, talk to people in the line-up for tickets or food. When Americans are excited, and in a state of anticipation, they tell you their whole life stories. Waiting for our J.Lo tickets, a woman in front of us told us she was from Chicago, and her husband didn’t like to travel — only to Puerto Rico! So she travels on her own or with a friend. She is not afraid of being raped, she told us!! Fellows would run a mile!! She had 5 brothers and learnt how to fight at an early age… So much information in only two minutes! Entertaining and enlightening for sure!

TIP 5: SHOWS

Some people plan their trips to Las Vegas around shows, others around gambling. Let’s talk shows as they are better value for money!! One of the best things we learnt was NOT to book your show in advance. Wait until the day and go to any of the discount tickets vendors. You get your tickets almost half price if you wait until the day of the show. Obviously, tickets for hot performers like J.Lo sell out very quickly. The Cirque de Soleil shows are hugely popular and have been playing for a while now, so you get good bargains on those tickets. Currently, they have 8 totally different shows running at the moment. All are brilliant! Long-running shows are best value.

With the money saved on eating out all the time, we splurged and went to three fantastic and totally different shows. We went to see Cirque de Soleil’s Mystere, which was the show that first grabbed the world’s attention and gave the Cirque de Soleil their stellar reputation. Stunning is all I can say to describe our experience. The colour, acrobatics, costumes and music were breathtaking and so unique in expression.

Our second show, Donny and Marie, was a trip down the Osmond memory lane. Set in the Flamingo’s Hotel, the auditorium was small and intimate, reminiscent of the old days when Elvis or Frank Sinatra performed. We had tables in front of us, unlike the other huge, anonymous auditoriums, and could have drinks served to our table. So quaint! We were so close to Donny and Marie, I could see the perspiration on their faces. “Is it just me, or is it hot here tonight?” Marie asked. “I’m going over to talk to my fan over here,” she said, leading us to believe it was somebody in the audience. Next thing, she drops to the floor in front of a spinning fan, and starts cooling herself! “Ooh, that’s better!” she says with a laugh.

She was incredibly natural and charming beyond belief. In between performing, they had a huge slideshow with snippets from the Andy Williams days and other famous people they have performed with. I loved the show, for very different reasons, especially nostalgia, and the fact Donny and I are the same age! Throughout the show, there was a wonderful banter and rapport between Donny and Marie. They complement each other very well. Loved this show 100%.

All I can say about the third show is WOW WOW WOW!! There is no way a near 48-year-old woman can move her body like that! It was J.Lo. She looks even better in real life, and yes, I am convinced she had high-powered batteries in her buttocks to be able to do a booty dance like the one she did for her screaming, and at times hysterical, spectators. The show and the audience could not have been more different from Donny and Marie!

Set in Planet Hollywood, the largest auditorium in Vegas, the crowd was huge (4,600). Security was worse than at the airport. Pre-concert fashion was something else. Just watching the way ladies dressed up for the show was hugely entertaining in itself. Lots of glitter, figure-hugging frocks and expensive heels.

Passions ran high once J.Lo began. When a girl 3 rows down from us stood up and refused to sit down, obstructing the view for others, a guy behind us shouted, “If you don’t sit down, I’ll f**king kill you!” He meant it too! Later, he started throwing water at her! Funny to watch. SO different from the more genteel Donny & Marie show! The special effects, pyrotechnics, costumes, songs, etc. made this show a Vegas Spectacular! And, of course, it was J.Lo!

We loved Vegas so much, I’m thinking of calling my home Vegasville!

Hugs,
Patricia xxx

Postcard from Hollywood and La La Land!

Got back last night after a blissful week in Hollywood and Los Angeles. I can still see those majestic palm trees swaying in the breeze, sun bleached yellow and blue houses with terracotta red roofs, and voluptuous pink and orange flowers spilling onto the sidewalks. The Spanish influence was everywhere, especially in the architecture. Interestingly, LA also has the highest Korean population outside of Korea! That was news to me.

Our airbnb was a great choice, located right in the heart of Hollywood — just a stone’s throw from all the action. Above  photo was the view from my window. Charlie Chaplin’s star was at the end of the street, facing Starbucks. It felt weird walking over the stars on the Walk of Fame, almost like walking over their graves!! From Marilyn Monroe to Joan Rivers, the stars — all 2,582 of them — shone brilliantly on the sidewalks of Hollywood — also known as ‘Hollyweird’ and ‘Hollyweed’ for obvious reasons!! George Clooney and Julia Roberts still don’t have a star. It costs $30,000 and you have to be nominated, and comply with loads of rules. So, not as easy as it seems.

We went to Hollywood/L.A. with an action-packed program. Each of us had our own wish list, so as not to miss any of the LA attractions! Our Tour Operator, Claudia, did a fantastic job with all the travel and sightseeing arrangements!!

Saturday, we did an all-day tour of Hollywood and Los Angeles, which took in Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Rodeo Drive (where all the billionaires shop!!), as well as passing the homes of the Rich and Famous in Bel Air and Beverly Hills. Great mansions hidden behind electronic gates. You could see Bentleys and Mercedes’ parked in the driveways. Yes, you can smell the money, especially around Rodeo Drive!

Sunday, we did a walking tour around West Hollywood, where all the younger stars hang out. We passed ‘Whiskey-a-go-go’ where Goldie Hawn once worked, and where all the swingers chillax. We also passed ‘The Viper Room’ where River Phoenix sadly died. It was a dark, dismal looking place. We knew from the tour the previous day all the coffee shops and popular restaurants where you could spot a celebrity, so our eyes were on the alert and we saw the places they liked to frequent.

We were also lucky enough to pass some open houses and I went in for a gawk to see what your money could buy you in LA. One tiny 2-bedroom house (around 900 sq. ft.) was up for US $1.5 m. It was really teeny tiny, but charming. Discouraged, we kept walking!! Detached houses, no matter how small, are very expensive in LA.

The second place I saw was in the gay district and really gorgeous!! 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and very tastefully decorated with high ceilings and dark wooden floors. Very chic.  Around 1100 sq. ft. and only asking $685,000. Much better value, and would put it in the same league as Vancouver. So yes, we could sell our condo in Vancouver and move there I was thinking to myself!! Yeah right!

We stopped off at Dash, the ultra trendy boutique owned by the Kardashian Gals. The only thing I could safely touch or buy was a key ring or a compact mirror! Sadly, none of the sassy sisters or Mama Kris was working that day. We met a lovely girl called Erin, of Irish ancestry, who did all the donkey work for them. She loved us because we were Irish and could be related!! She knew the family well so shaking her hand was the nearest best thing.

Evening saw us dining at Sur, the fabulous restaurant owned by Lisa Vanderpump, (of ‘Housewives of Beverly Hills’ and ‘Vanderpump Rules’ fame). The filming for the reality show ‘Vanderpump Rules’ happens inside the glamorous walls of Sur. (For the curious, ‘Sur’ is an abbreviation for Sexy Unique Restaurant.)




You need to book in advance. Yes, it is expensive, but it was our special treat and worth it. If you get there by 5.30 p.m. you can enjoy some Happy Hour drinks and appies. Portions are small by American standards, but really tasty, and beautifully presented. So yes, worth it. We even got to have our photo taken with one of the stars from the show, Peter. I didn’t know him, but he sure looked good.

Monday saw us taking a trip to the renowned Grove Shopping Centre where all the rich and beautiful shop. It was stunning! Sort of like Rodeo Drive, but less exorbitant. They had a little train to drive people around, and a fountain with lights and classical music emanating from it. Very Vegas!! Expensively clad ladies walking around with pampered pooches, leaving a trail of pricy perfume in the air, arresting aromas from the open air Farmer’s Market, where you could purchase delicious fruit and vegetables, as well as dine al fresco. There was a vast selection of International foods to choose from. I had freshly made sushi, Kevin had an American style sandwich, Vicky gluten-free pizza, Ali and Claudia some Italian food. Something for everybody.

All the expensive stores like Barney’s and J. Crew have outlets in the Grove, as well as shops like Topshop and Sephora. So the choice is endless. The place to shop for groceries in LA is called Trader Joe’s and it is one of the best shops ever. Everything you buy there tastes delicious, even their frozen Indian meals. We stocked up at Trader Joe’s for our self-catering holiday.

Driving in LA would be a nightmare for me! Ten rows of traffic. Honking horns going all the time. Cars, Cars, Cars everywhere. I never saw so many cars in all my life! Freeways and Adult shops are on the go non-stop.

After the Grove, we decided to head for the LACMA Museum, which houses an incredible amount of priceless art, including 10 works of Picasso, and the most beautiful religious artifacts I have ever seen. Allow yourself 3 hours at least, to see everything there is to see in this impressive museum. Good value at $15 p.p.



Tuesday was our Universal Studios day trip. Expensive, at around $100 per person. But you cannot go to Hollywood and not make a trip there. It is like Disneyland with loads of scary rides and equally scary turkey thighs, which sensibly, we did not sample. Like Disneyland, it is a very happy place.

My abiding memory of Universal Studios is hundreds of Harry Potter fans walking around dressed in long black robes, and a HUMONGOUS Hogwarts Castle dominating the whole complex. Universal Studios was a multi-cultural village, with the French Quarters being my favourite. We people-watched in the sunny courtyard, resting our weary feet, sipping yummy Starbucks cappuccinos, accompanied by tiny and very tasty macarons. A blissful moment in yet another busy day.

The highlight of the day was the 45 mins. train trip we did around the studios. We got to see sets from renowned movies and reality shows, such as Wisteria Lane from ‘Desperate Housewives,’ the Jaws movie set, the Motel from ‘Psycho’ where we saw an actor drag a lifeless body from his slummy bedroom, as well as Western Movie sets, which my Dad would have thoroughly enjoyed! New York was replicated, as well as Europe and a plane crash disaster scene. We got to take part in a few disaster movies, had water sprayed into our train for excitement, and were hurled all over the place. Scary!!

Wednesday was one of my favourite days! We walked all around the city of Los Angeles. We took trains and buses, and I got to feel like a real ‘Angeleno’. I enjoyed eavesdropping on people’s bus conversations. The main topics of conversation in LA during our week here were the Presidential Campaign, Mohammad Ali’s death, the Stanford University rape case, and the sad terrorist killings in Tel Aviv.

Women are outraged at the Stanford rapist getting off with just 6 months in prison. Witches are cursing him, and everybody hates his father, who said his son had not eaten steak since it happened, has lost his sense of humour, and should not suffer so, for just “20 minutes of action”. I think it was those words that got everybody so riled up!!

The highlight of my trip downtown was a visit to the sumptuous Biltmore Hotel. Heaven was sitting in the luxurious and highly ornate lobby, sipping cappuccinos, and eating warm blueberry scones with butter. I wanted to spend all day there but there was so much to see, and not enough time! The hotel was built in the roaring 20s and was the playground of the Rich and Famous, including J.F. Kennedy, and all the Hollywood celebrities, from Marilyn Monroe to Frank Sinatra and Liz Taylor.

They hosted the Oscars in the Biltmore one year, and I could just picture them all walking around the lavish surroundings, bejewelled and dripping in furs. I could smell the intoxicating aroma of Clark Gable’s cigars wafting in the air, and Marilyn Monroe’s alluring Chanel #5 perfume. I could even hear their gaiety and laughter in the long hallways, which are now plastered in photos of this happy bygone era. To get the max from your visit to the Biltmore, all you need is money, and a rich imagination!!

More highlights of our LA City adventure were the Grand Central Market, the Union Station (Magnificent!!), the Spanish District, the Fashion and Jewellery Districts, the Cathedral, etc. SO much to see, and again, so little time. I wanted to spend the WHOLE day in the Fashion District!! Bargains galore. I plan to go back d.v. I would recommend a visit to all of the above!!





Thursday, Kevin would say, we kept the best for last! A visit to the Getty Museum in the Hills. It is out a bit, and you need a car or taxi to get there. No entrance fee. It’s free!! We got the Uber, which is the best form of transport ever. The Uber is a cheap, speedy, and terrific way for getting around. Regular folk (mothers, students, etc.) trying to make a buck, will drive their own cars, and ferry you around town. Taxi drivers hate the Uber — I can understand why — and Vancouver will not permit it.

If you like museums, the Getty will not disappoint. Like the Louvre in Paris, you would need at least a week there to see and appreciate the trove of treasures and artwork it houses. The building itself is truly magnificent. It was designed by architect Richard Meier who loves the colour white, and is known as the ‘White Architect.’

That evening, on our way to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, we passed the red carpet, and saw Peter Fonda and his wife being interviewed, as well as actor Richard Dreyfuss. They were attending an event for legendary composer John Williams. Steven Spielberg was also attending, but we did not see him.

The ‘bang’ I was referring to was an earthquake — no kidding! Living in Victoria, I know what these feel like!! At around 1 in the morning, my bed started to shake. I thought it was a poltergeist in the room since Kevin was fast asleep. Talk about going out with a bang!!

Friday, back to Vancouver. Tired, exhausted, and missing Los Angeles!

Saturday, back in Vancouver. Watched football on T.V. (I’m going to be a football widow for the next month or so!!) I saw Wales beating Slovakia. Going to see a movie later on, but no way am I going to see the Conjuring!! Apparently Topshop have a 50% sale going on. I must have my coffee and croissant at Cafe Faubourg. Vancouver is not the same without a trip to my favourite French Cafe!!

Sunday, Mass, pack the cases, and then head home to Victoria. What a fabulous fun-filled, action-packed week we all had. And I only put on 2 pounds!! Must have been all the walking we did.

Love ya!
Patricia xxx